Chapter 2

Scarlett’s POV

“Betrayal cuts deeper than claws, but vengeance sharpens the soul.”

The forest was a blur of shadows and moonlight, my boots pounding the earth as I ran. The vial’s bitter aftertaste lingered, masking my scent from the hunters whose howls echoed behind me. My wolf clawed at my insides, desperate to shift and fight, but I couldn’t—not yet. 

The faint pulse of my pup’s heartbeat anchored me, a reminder of what was at stake. Camila’s threat loomed like a storm cloud: “You and your child are dead.” I’d be damned if I let her win.

The eastern ridge was miles away, and the terrain grew treacherous—roots snagging my ankles, branches clawing my skin. My breath burned in my lungs, but I pushed harder, fueled by rage and the stranger’s cryptic warning: “You’re about to become her worst nightmare.” 

Who was she? Why risk defying Camila? The questions gnawed at me, but survival came first.

A twig snapped to my left. I skidded to a halt, crouching behind a gnarled oak. My senses sharpened—ears straining, eyes scanning the darkness. The hunters were close, their scents faint but unmistakable: cedar and iron, the pack’s elite. My claws extended, glinting under the moon. If they wanted me, they’d bleed for it.

A low growl rumbled nearby. My heart stuttered, but I held my ground. Then, a voice—familiar, cutting through the night like a blade. “Scarlett, I know you’re here.”

Everleigh.

My wolf surged, rage blinding me. She’d taken Nathan, claimed my place, and now she was hunting me? I stepped out, fists clenched, my voice a snarl. “Come to finish what you started?”

She emerged from the shadows, her amber eyes glowing, her ceremonial robe replaced by a warrior’s leathers. Two pack warriors flanked her, their postures tense but loyal. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be,” she said, her tone dripping with false pity. “Run, and you’ll only suffer more.”

I laughed, sharp and bitter. “Suffer? You stole my mate, Everleigh. You think you can scare me now?”

Her smirk faltered, a crack in her alpha facade. “Nathan was never yours. You’re a warrior, Scarlett, not a Luna. You should’ve stayed in your place.”

My claws dug into my palms, drawing blood. “And you should’ve stayed my friend.”

She flinched, but only for a moment. “This isn’t personal. It’s pack law. Nathan needs a strong bloodline to unite the territories. My father’s alliance—”

“Spare me,” I spat. “You wanted him, and you betrayed me to get him. Own it.”

The warriors shifted, their growls low. Everleigh raised a hand, silencing them. “Last chance, Scarlett. Come back, submit, and Camila might let your pup live.”

The mention of my child ignited a fire in my chest. My wolf roared, and I lunged, faster than thought. Everleigh dodged, but my claws raked her shoulder, tearing through leather. She hissed, her own claws flashing as she countered, aiming for my throat. I twisted, slamming my elbow into her jaw. She staggered, and the warriors charged.

Training took over. I ducked the first strike, driving my knee into his gut. He doubled over, and I spun, slashing the second’s arm. Blood sprayed, but they were elite—fast, relentless. A fist caught my ribs, knocking the air from my lungs. I stumbled, pain flaring, but my wolf fed on it, fueling my fury.

“Enough!” Everleigh’s voice cracked like a whip. She grabbed my hair, yanking me back. Her claws pressed against my throat, cold and sharp. “You can’t win, Scarlett. You’re alone.”

“Am I?” I rasped, my lips curling into a defiant smile. Her eyes narrowed, and I seized the moment, stomping her foot and twisting free. I bolted, weaving through the trees, her curses echoing behind me. The warriors’ footsteps pounded, but the vial’s magic held—my scent was gone.

I ran until my legs burned and the howls faded. The eastern ridge loomed ahead, its rocky silhouette stark against the moonlit sky. Sanctuary, the stranger had said. But as I climbed, a new scent hit me—smoke, blood, and something ancient. My wolf bristled, sensing danger, but I pressed on, driven by desperation.

At the ridge’s crest, a cave yawned open, its entrance hidden by vines. I slipped inside, my breaths ragged. The air was damp, and heavy with the scent of moss and old magic. A faint glow pulsed deeper within, drawing me forward. My hand rested on my stomach, the pup’s heartbeat steadying me. Whatever waited here, it was better than Camila’s hunters.

Footsteps echoed behind me. I spun, claws ready, but it was her—the cloaked woman from the courtyard. Her silver-streaked hair gleamed, her eyes sharp with urgency. “You’re late,” she said, tossing me a waterskin. “Drink. You’ll need your strength.”

I caught it, wary. “Who are you? Why help me?”

She stepped closer, her scent unmasked now—wild, like storm winds and pine. “My name’s Lira. I was Camila’s beta before she betrayed me. She banished me for questioning her, but I’ve been watching. Planning.” Her gaze flicked to my stomach. “That pup is a threat to her power. She’ll kill you both to keep Nathan under her control.”

My blood ran cold. “Nathan wouldn’t let her.”

Lira’s laugh was bitter. “Nathan’s a pawn in her game, just like you were. But you’re stronger than he is, Scarlett. You always have been.”

Her words stirred something in me—pride, defiance. I straightened, meeting her gaze. “What’s in this cave?”

“A ritual site,” she said. “Old magic, forbidden by the pack. It can sever Camila’s influence over Nathan’s bond, but it comes at a cost.” Her eyes darkened. “You’ll have to face your own heart—every pain, every betrayal. And you’ll need to make a choice.”

“What choice?” I demanded.

Before she could answer, a howl split the night—closer than before. Lira’s head snapped toward the entrance. “They’ve found us. Camila’s smarter than I thought.”

Panic surged, but I forced it down. “What do we do?”

Lira grabbed my arm, pulling me deeper into the cave. “We fight. But first, you need to know the truth.” She stopped at a stone altar, its surface etched with runes that glowed faintly. A dagger lay there, its blade pulsing with eerie light. “Camila didn’t just arrange Nathan’s bond with Everleigh. She poisoned your mate bond to weaken you.”

My heart stuttered. “Poisoned?”

“Moonbane,” Lira said, her voice grim. “It mimics love but twists it, makes the bond brittle. Nathan’s fighting it, but he doesn’t know why. If you want him back, you’ll need to break the spell—and face Everleigh in the ritual.”

The howls grew louder, shadows flickering at the cave’s entrance. My mind raced. Nathan, poisoned. Everleigh, complicit. Camila, the puppet master. And me, caught in their web. But I wasn’t their prey—not anymore.

I grabbed the dagger, its weight grounding me. “What’s the ritual?”

Lira’s eyes gleamed with approval. “You’ll bind your blood to the altar, confront the moonbane’s lies, and challenge Everleigh’s claim. But if you fail, the magic will consume you.”

A warrior burst into the cave, his claws gleaming. Lira shifted, her form blurring into a massive silver wolf. She tackled him, their snarls echoing. More shadows loomed—Everleigh’s scent among them.

I tightened my grip on the dagger, my wolf roaring to life. This was no longer about running. It was about fighting—for my pup, for Nathan, for myself. Everleigh wanted a Luna? She’d have to rip it from my cold, dead claws.

As the cave erupted into chaos, I stepped toward the altar, the runes flaring brighter. The ritual awaited, and with it, a truth that could either save me—or destroy us all.